Improvement in needle-threaders for sewing-machines



J. C. VITTUM.

N'eedle-Threader for Sewing-Machines.

Paten'ted June 25,1872

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JOHN G. VITTUM, OF PITTSBURG, IENLNSSZLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,341, dated June 25,1872.

lar to a nippers, with the handles so pivoted that the jaws are causedto pinch together with a spring, said jaws having grooves perpendicularto the handles for griping the needle, and other grooves traversing themfor introducing the thread, and an adjustable gauge to act in connectionwith the lower end of the needle-post to cause the needle to be gripedin the first-mentioned grooves, so that the eye will come in the line ofthe other grooves which are to guide the thread to said eye.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of my improved needle-threader. Fig. 2 isa side elevation with one of the jaws broken off, and Fig. 3 is a faceview of an adjustable plate with several grooves of difierent sizes,which I propose to arrange on the jaws for adapting the instrument toneedles of different sizes.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a pair of nipping-jaws on the ends of handles B pivotedtogether at C, so as to be pressed together by a spring, D. Said jawshave a groove, to, along the face perpendicular to the handles, adaptedto gripe the needle I), as shown in the drawing. They also have anothergroove, d, perpendicular to a, and

traversing it and extending into a cavity, 6,

behind groove to. At the outer ends the grooves d are flaring so as toform a kind of bell-mouth between the two jaws. E is a wire gauge,attached to one of the jaws by a slotted plate, F, and a set-screw, G,so as to be adjusted in the lengthwise direction of the grooves forgriping the needle, and the, outer end terminates in a hook, I, in suchrelative position to the jaws as to hook on to the needle immediatelyunder the needle-post when the needle is nipped in the grooves a. Saidgauge, being properly adjusted, will, when so placed against the end ofthe needle cause the eye to come exactly in the line of thethreadguiding grooves d, so that the thread presented in said groovewill be guided through the eye into the chamber 0, behind Where it willproject suificiently to be nipped between the jaws, when they are takenoff the needle and allowed to close together behind it on said thread,so that it can be drawn through by the nippers as far as wanted.

In order to have several grooves a of different sizes to correspond withthe differentsized needles used, I propose to have plates H, such asrepresented in Fig. 3, with as many grooves a and d as there are sides,attached to the jaws by a screw, J, screwing into the hole 7 K at thecenter, so that by shifting said plates around on said screw the groovea corresponding to the size of the needle to be threaded, may-be broughtto the front position for use. Said plates may be square, octagonal, orof other form, as preferred.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A needle-threader, comprising the nipperjaws A,handles B, spring D, and a gauge, E, the said jaws having theneedle-grooves a, thread-guiding grooves d, and the cavities e, and allcombined substantially as specified.

2. A detachable plate, combined with the jaws, and provided withneedle-grooves, threadgrooves, and cavities, substantially as specilied.

' JOHN G. VITTUM.

\Vitnesses:

R0131. S. FRAZER, I). B. OAKS.

